In the last four months of 2014, an alarming number of U.S. Iraq war resisters in Canada received negative decisions in their immigration cases. Several of them have received, or are about to receive, removal orders from Canada.

This is despite the fact that a majority of Canadians support their stance against the illegal and immoral war, and despite Parliament having twice voted to let US war resisters stay.

The strong response of Canadians is what has kept U.S. war resisters in Canada – and out of U.S. military prison – for the past ten years.

Once again, US war resisters need their supporters to take action.

The War Resisters Support Campaign is calling on Canadians to speak out against this attempt by the Harper government to remove remaining U.S. war resisters from Canada.

During the pan-Canadian week of Action, “Let Them Stay Week” from January 25 to 31, 2015, let federal Minister of Immigration Chris Alexander know that you support a provision for US war resisters to stay in Canada, and that you oppose any attempt to deport them.

The Canadian government has intervened directly into individual war resister cases through the unfair Operational Bulletin 202 which targets US conscientious objectors, and through blanket statements by former Immigration Minister Jason Kenney which undermined any possibility of a fair and impartial treatment of individual cases.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Sunday Jan 25 – Profile Picture Day: Change your profile picture on Facebook in support of US war resisters, for the duration of Let Them Stay Week.

Friday Jan 30 – Community Outreach Day: Call your local MPs office to express your concern; circulate the US war resister petition; make a donation to the War Resisters defence fund; post a window-sign at your home, workplace or community organization

Below is a joint statement recently issued by US war resisters in Canada, please share widely:

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Joint Statement by former U.S. military personnel who came to Canada because of their conscientious objection to the 2003 Iraq war.

We are American war resisters. Many of us are combat veterans. All of us came to the conclusion that we could not in good conscience participate in the unjust and illegal war and occupation launched in March 2003 against Iraq.

Faced with jail time and forced redeployment in support of that disastrous war, we sought refuge in Canada.

The response from Canadians has been overwhelmingly welcoming and supportive, and has made it possible for us to settle here, raise families and build communities.

But the Conservative government has directly intervened to deny us access to a fair immigration process.

We now face imminent removal from Canada. Our removal will tear apart our families and punish us for simply doing what Canadians have already done – refusing to support and participate in an illegal and unjust war.

Former Minister of Immigration Jason Kenney publicly disparaged us, instructed immigration officers to ‘red-flag’ our cases, and labelled us ‘criminally inadmissible’ to Canada. This has prejudiced any chance of having our cases decided on their merits.

Yet Canada’s Parliament twice voted to allow us to stay. Canadian courts have acknowledged the disproportional punishment handed to US soldiers who have spoken out publicly in Canada. Those who have been forced back by the Conservative government have been court-martialed and received sentences from 12 to 24 months in jail.

It is no coincidence that so many of us are facing deportation at this very moment. It is difficult to manufacture consent for a new war when we are still here to tell the ground truth of the previous war. There is still time for Canadians to speak out – but time is running out.

As new developments continue in the cases of U.S. Iraq War resisters, some of the resisters have written statements about what they are facing and why they still need support from Canadians.

Please read their statements and then take a moment to send a letter to Chris Alexander, Ministers of Citizenship and Immigration, and Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety. They have the ability to stop the injustice that is being done to these conscientious objectors and allow them to stay in Canada.

If you haven’t done so yet, please consider making a donation to support the ongoing needs of resisters at http://gofundme.com/letthemstay as funds are urgently needed.

Over the past four weeks an alarming number of U.S. Iraq war resisters in Canada have been notified that decisions are imminent in their cases.

One resister has received a deportation date. Others are awaiting removal decisions.

The War Resisters Support Campaign is deeply concerned that this is the beginning of an attempt by the Harper government to remove remaining U.S. war resisters from Canada.

We are calling on supporters once again to take action. The strong response of Canadians is what has kept U.S. war resisters in Canada for the past ten years.

Here are two things you can do to help right now:

1. Write to Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and cc your MP – they need to hear from you! Let them know that:
• U.S. war resisters came to Canada because of their conscientious objection to the illegal and immoral war in Iraq
• they have faced direct interference in their cases by the Harper government and have not been able to get a fair hearing
• a majority of Canadians want them to stay in Canada
• ask the Minister to cease all deportations

This month marks the 10th anniversary of the arrival in Canada of Jeremy Hinzman, the first Iraq War resister to seek asylum here after refusing to participate in an illegal and immoral war. Yet 10 years on, Jeremy and his family, and many other U.S. war resisters, are still living in limbo – not certain if they will be forced to return to the U.S., where they face harsh punishment for their courageous decision.

From January 12 to 19th, join Canadians across the country in Let Them Stay Week 2014, to send a message that U.S. war resisters are welcome in Canada, and that the Canadian government must stop the deportations and enact a provision to let them stay.

Here are some of the ways you can participate, to ensure that message comes through each day of Let Them Stay Week:Sunday Jan 12 – Tweet or post your support for U.S. war resisters on Facebook.Monday Jan 13 – Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. For ideas, see sample letters.Tuesday Jan 14 – Call or email the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Chris Alexander and ask him to ensure that no more U.S. war resisters are forced out of Canada for their opposition to an illegal and immoral war, and to enact a provision to let them stay in Canada.
You can send an email from our Take Action page, or write your own message and email it to: Minister@cic.gc.ca, chris.alexander@parl.gc.ca
CC the opposition leaders and critics: lysane.blanchette-lamothe@parl.gc.ca, mccallum.j@parl.gc.ca, mulcair.t@parl.gc.ca, trudeau.j@parl.gc.ca, elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca
Phone 613-954-1064Wednesday Jan 15 – Write a letter to the Minister and to your MP in support of U.S. war resisters.
Send your letter to: Hon. Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship & Immigration, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6In Toronto, join a letter-writing event at 7 p.m. at the Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street (near College and Beverly). Featuring a preview of the upcoming film Peace has no Borders and updates from resisters Joshua Key and Dean Walcott.Thursday Jan 16 – Social media day: change your Facebook status to the graphic on this page, or tweet a link to resisters.ca #LetThemStayFriday Jan 17 – MP and Community Outreach Day – Meet with your MP, or call their office to request a meeting. (For a lobbying guide to help organize your visit to your MP, email wrsctoronto@gmail.com). Circulate this petition among your friends and family, at work or at school.Saturday Jan 18 – Building Sanctuary: a panel discussion with Jessica Squires and Alyssa Manning, 5–7 p.m., Ryerson University. Part of the Canadian Peace Alliance convention. Jessica Squires is the author of Building Sanctuary: The Movement to Support Vietnam War Resisters in Canada, 1965-73 . Alyssa Manning is the lawyer representing U.S. war resisters in Canada. The panel will be livestreamed at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cpa-convention-2014

Here are further actions you can take in support of U.S. Iraq War resisters:1. Display a sign in your window in support of war resisters.2. Make a donation to our defense campaign in support of U.S. war resisters. * Donations can be sent to the following address (please make cheque payable to the War Resisters Support Campaign): War Resisters Support Campaign Box 13, 427 Bloor Street West Toronto, ON M5S 1X7 CANADA

War resister Kimberly Rivera was released from prison on December 12, 2013. Kim was sentenced to 14 months in prison, and served 10 months, for her refusal to participate in the US’s invasion and occupation of Iraq.

Kim came to Canada seeking refuge, but was forced out by the Conservative government in September 2012. She was immediately arrested at the border, then court martialed. Now Kim will finally be reunited with her young children who she has not seen since her arrest.

For background on Kim’s case, see http://resisters.ca/?p=719. And help us continue the fight to ensure that no more U.S. Iraq war are forced out of Canada. Join our email list to find out about events coming up in January as part of Let Them Stay Week 2014.

January 2014 will be the 10th anniversary since the first U.S. Iraq war resisters arrived in Canada. To mark this anniversary, and to continue to build support for soldiers who made the conscientious decision that they could not participate in the illegal and immoral war in Iraq, we are launching Let Them Stay Week 2014 from January 12-19. We’ll be lobbying MPs, writing letters, making phone calls and organizing community events in communities across Canada. Please mark the dates and join the campaign in your community. Details to follow. For more information: http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=7f3b429c1b1bc4ec3631c2286&id=bec067bdf5&e=0dcd98ee4f

Many people believe that to be a Conscientious Objector (C.O.) you have to be against all war and violence – and, if so, why would you have ever joined the military? Many types of people seek C.O. status all over the world – the issue is as relevant today as during World War II. Some are people of faith, some of no faith, some object to serving in the military and need protection from conscription, and some (like the U.S. War Resisters who are in Canada) develop an objection to war (or a particular war) through the experience of serving in the military. Are all of these cases “legitimate”?

Rachel has worked on C.O. issues for decades within the United Nations system and internationally as the human rights representative at the Quaker UN Office Geneva. Alyssa has represented US War Resisters in a number of precedent-setting legal cases in Canada.

This is a rare opportunity to dialogue with two of the most talented and interesting advocates for conscientious objectors.

Presented by: Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers)
Toronto Monthly Meeting’s Peace and Social Concerns Committee
War Resisters Support Campaign

On Sunday September 22, U.S. war resisters attended a ceremony unveiling a plaque which commemorates conscientious object to war in the Whitchurch-Stouffville area.

The plaque unveiling coincided with the United Nations’ International Day of Peace held annually on September 21st. Dozens of attendees signed a petition in support of U.S. Iraq war resisters, calling on the government to repeal Operational Bulletin 202.

U.S. War resister Joshua Key, his wife Alexina and their three children have been evicted from their home in Saskatchewan. They have been ordered to leave by October 4th. They have lived there for the past 4 years.

While the family looks into their legal options regarding this unjust eviction, they also urgently need to raise funds to cover the costs of moving to a new home.

Join us for an update on the campaign to win asylum for U.S. War Resisters in Canada.Followed by musical guests :Thomas Radcliffe
The Manning Sisters

Thomas Radcliffe is a Vietnam War Resister, a singer-songwriter, and an advocate for peace and social justice.
And by popular demand, the Manning sisters, Alyssa and Kim, return to the Steel Hall with their great harmonies.